Jar of Hearts
by MumblePhantomFox
Summary: When Annalise decides to use Speed to poke at X, things take a turn for the worst and quickly get out of hand.
1. A Healing Scar

**Disclaimer: Just so you guys know, I'd rather not get sued for all that I could make off of this plus thousands extra that I don't have, so I don't own Speed Racer no matter how much I want to and don't intend to profit from this. ;)**

**This takes place after "Speed Actor," and makes references to it. Enjoy.**

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><p>"<strong>A Healing Scar" – X<strong>

It's not like I didn't try to forget about her; I _still_ try to wrap my mind around the fact that we weren't close like we might've been before, it's just hard. I still can't believe that it escalated to something so serious. Speed wasn't even part of this. He was dragged into the middle, and almost died. Because of me, I still firmly believe.

It all started almost a month ago.

Everybody was preparing for the big race. Sound familiar? I thought so. It seems like the Racer Academy drags in all the media hype. But, that's beside the point. It was only a short week since the Mach 6 had been stolen. I could faintly hear the distinct rumble as he drove laps for practice before the qualifier in a few days. I was resting on my bed, thoughts running through my head. For some reason, my time alone got me remembering the times before I had learned about my little brother.

I glanced over at the shelves, the ring I had given Annalise when we had first started dating resting on one beside her picture. I couldn't put my finger on why I still had either trinket, but I just couldn't get rid of them. Hidden deep in my mind, I knew I still had feelings for her that I couldn't shake.

Mildly troubled, I stood up and flexed my shoulders before walking over to the shelf. Feeling a frown emerge on my lips, I picked up the intricate little piece, examining it as it glinted in the fluorescent light illuminating my room. The gold band still glimmered and the frosty blue gem in the center almost looked violet at the right angle. I sighed.

"Hey X!" My brother's sudden voice behind me nearly gave me a heart attack and I found myself quickly setting the ring back on the shelf and turning around to face him more abruptly than I intended. I narrowed my eyes at him. "Sheesh, _knocking_: Ring a bell?" I grumbled. He opened his mouth to apologize but I spoke first. "Never mind. I thought you were practicing?"

Speed grinned. "I was, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to ace that qualifier." I chuckled and smiled, putting my arm over his shoulders. "You know what? You go ahead and do that, 'cause when you do race, I'm gonna kick your butt no matter what position you're in!"

It nearly breaks my heart at how close we were before this whole thing started.

The next day, I was eating my lunch at alone. I just barely missed my brother glance over at me, double-taking. He probably figured that I would at least be sitting with a couple of girls or something like that, but my covered remaining feelings for Annalise were being drove back up to the surface by who knows what, and I couldn't help but stare at her as she chatted casually with the Deuceys a few tables over.

I jumped a little as Speed was suddenly beside me, tracing my gaze over to my ex. I sighed and looked up at him, but he simply frowned back down at me. "X, do you want me to talk to her?" he said, his voice much more sympathetic and patient than I thought it might've been. "Knock yourself out. It's not like she'll change her mind," I replied, my voice flat and bitter. He walked over to her table, and though I couldn't hear what they were saying, hope flashed in my mind for a second as I saw her grin and look over at me. Sadly, I didn't notice how devilish of a grin it was or how alarmed Speed seemed at whatever she had said as I tossed the rest of my lunch, my appetite lost.

The next day, things started to get out of hand.


	2. A Daring Proposal

"**A Daring Proposal" – Speed**

Annalise's request still burned in my mind. I had rejected, but I have a feeling that she had ignored me even if she had been listening.

She had this ridiculous idea in her head of getting back at X. She asked if I would pretend to go out with her, just so she could make him jealous. I would never hurt X, physically _or_ emotionally. Right then, I needed to concentrate. I shoved the incident to the back of my mind as I slipped on my helmet and shut the door of the Mach 6 behind me. The qualifying race was finally here, and I was too distracted. Ever since her bogus request, Annalise was being dreadfully clingy, and Connor was persistent in taking advantage of it, trying to sway her onto his side. I wonder when he'll finally learn that she doesn't like him...

All of the crap that was clouding my mind was the last thing I needed. As well as deciding where I started in the big race, this qualifier would decide if I even got to race in the first place. I was confident as I started up my car, glancing over at X on my left, the Shooting Star quivering as the engine rumbled beneath its glimmering hood. He gave me a thumbs up as the holographic lights above the track began to glow.

'_Go!'_ the thought raced through my mind as I put the gas to the floor. The other cars hovered in spot for a split second before they shot ahead, saving the battle for the virtual track. The Mach 6 was normally one of the first to roar ahead, but it lingered as I pumped the gas, willing it to go. Suddenly, I was pressed back into my seat as it finally sped ahead, catching up with the back of the pack. I was almost alarmed, but my worry was soon forgotten as I soared over the track, weaving my way into the middle of the clump of other cars. The track activated itself, but on the last turn before we all entered, I spun the steering wheel to the left and the car stayed straight. I was about to get in serious danger when I felt a jerk beneath my hands and I began to drift sideways around the turn, my tires squealing over the asphalt. I was just experienced enough to not lose control, though I was officially nervous.

Determinedly, I drove through the portal, emerging with the others into Winter Wonderland. It almost hurt my eyes at how bright the white world was, but they adjusted quickly as I turned on my tire armor, the traction a much needed break from the slick terrain. X and I pulled forward, though not very far ahead of the other racers as they kept pace on our tails.

It was an easy enough track until my controls began to stall again. The car slowed a bit before speeding up against my will, and my tire treads were deactivated. I wildly tried to control the car as other people passed me. Somehow, the homing robot emerged out into the open, and I finally got to regain myself. I drew the robot back in, reactivated my treads and sped up until I had caught back up. As we all rounded a corner, the road split, and we scattered. X chose the far right of the three prongs and I followed alongside him like we normally did in our races.

The rest of the race was relatively easy, and I didn't have any other problems, which puzzled and calmed me at the same time. I narrowly won, my brother coming in a close second. My fears forgotten, I waved at the somewhat small crowd as they cheered. X enjoyed his supporters as well.

Annalise joined my side, but I didn't notice until it was too late. X turned to congratulate me, but he stopped dead as Annalise grabbed my racing suit by the chest and pulled me towards her. I felt her lips meet mine as I desperately tried to pull away from her grip, glancing over at X. I had never seen him so pissed off, his expression a mask of complete rage as the crowd's cheering changed tone. Right when I thought he was going to blow up, Annalise released me and I flew back beside the Mach 6, nearly tearing off the rear view mirror as I tried to use it to stop myself from falling.

My eyes were wide as Annalise looked down at me, a smug grin on her face as she walked off. Thankfully, X didn't kill me in front of everyone, and I was left at the mercy of Connor. I couldn't exactly tell what his reaction was, but he flooded me with questions whenever he had a break from shunning me. Lucy was quietly steaming, though I couldn't tell why. One thing ran through my head, however; I had to tell X what had happened, and I had to apologize.

I waited about an hour before slowly making my way over to his dorm. I should've waited longer. As soon as a knocked, he turned around, standing over me. His efforts of intimidation worked, and I found myself trembling slightly. "WHAT? Come to show me your new girlfriend?" he said, spitting the words in my face. I stuttered. "I-I just wa-," I started, but he cut me off, advancing towards me as I tried to back out of the doorway. "I just told you I hadn't forgotten about her, so you decide to get her for yourself? Like I haven't suffered enough since you've come here!"

"I swear I didn't want h-…" This time I was forced to shut up as he swung at me. I didn't have enough time to dodge, and staggered backwards as he struck me in the face. Not wanting to die right then and there, I turned and fled down the stairs, my hand clutching my sore nose. It wasn't that bad, but it bled continuously for about five minutes before I finally got it to stop. Surprisingly, it wasn't broken even though that hit was hard enough to knock someone senseless. I had explained my suspicions about the Mach 6 to Connor, and he checked it inside and out for me, but nothing turned up.

I nervously dismissed my worries about the car, but until things were sorted out with Annalise and X, I intended to steer clear of them both. It made me a little bit paranoid, but I found it necessary and got by just fine without them.

If only I could've steered clear of what was coming next…


	3. A Job Well Done

"**A Job Well Done" – The Committee**

My view of the track was perfect, and I was following with all of the action. The fact that the Racer brothers were probably at each others' throats by now was just a convenient little unexpected gift. I had just been testing out my new little device on the Mach 6, and it worked perfectly.

"No, of course I'm not mad," I said smoothly, looking at the shadowy figures of my followers lined down the table. One of them spoke, his southern drawl somewhat nervous in tone. "But we lost the car." I found myself laughing, though the others remained silent and stupidly clueless as to my unusual good mood. They must've thought that I'd finally lost it, but I was far from that as far as my usual sanity went.

"I have that little brat under a pinpoint. They haven't gotten away with their little stunt that easily. In fact, they haven't gotten away _at all._ Observe," I mocked, returning my gaze back to the small projection before me. I dialed in a few buttons expertly, smiling in satisfaction at the reaction on the screen.

Everything was going according to plan.


	4. A Day I won't Forget

"**A Day I Won't Forget" – Speed**

You know, it didn't actually start out as bad as it actually was. The huge race was finally here, and X and I both got to race. The only problem was that since Annalise had kissed me, X was seeking for a chance at my throat. Wisely, I was attempting to avoid him as much as possible. I couldn't help being intimidated by him, being bigger than me and certainly stronger, and I was too young to die.

The race that day also brought back my previous forgotten suspicions. I didn't know anybody else to talk to about it, so I had no choice but to consult X. Nervously, I walked across the track. He was leaned against the Shooting Star, following me with an icy glare as soon as he noticed my approach. I was stiff, but relieved that he didn't raise a fist or try to lunge at me. "What do you want?" he growled, his tone cold and firm.

I didn't feel like arguing with him. "I think that something's wrong with the Mach 6. I don't know what, but I'm pretty sure that it's serious," I said, trying not to make my fear evident in my voice. He groaned. "You and dad both are so paranoid. The Mach 6 is fine. Now, would you mind getting out of my face?" I wasn't too surprised at the insult, and I was about to turn to leave when I noticed that Annalise had walked casually up beside me. My face turned pale as X gritted his teeth.

"Hey Speedy! Good luck in the race today," she said, her eyelashes fluttering innocently. I looked at her stupidly. _'Speedy?'_ I thought, tossing the unwelcome nickname around my mind. I finally decided it was retarded.

"I'd better go before you make me _lose my head_," I said, scuttling away before X could permanently damage my skull or spine. I got into the Mach 6 and locked the door, cautiously watching as Annalise and X shared a heated conversation. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but behind his somewhat calmer disposition, X looked ready to destroy something.

Forever later, the race began, and so did my cautious driving streak. I was prepared for any stalling this time as we entered the virtual track, Lightning Alley unfolding in front of the drivers. Lightning shot from cloud to cloud overhead, illuminating the red soil. I was gonna have to win this one without X's help.

Putting the pedal to the metal, I was near the front of the pack. Near, not at. Any time I tried to pull ahead next to X, he veered over threateningly, locking me back in second. "Ooh, looks like X is making it hard on Speed today!" I barely heard the announcer say. It was almost halfway through the race by now, and my fears were coming alive. The steering wheel shifted beneath my hands, knocking me a bit off balance as my car swerved before I finally regained control of the wheel.

Lucy popped up on my com, finding me wide eyed and nervous on the other end. "What was that?" she said in a somewhat mocking tone. "I didn't do anything!" I replied, stunning her slightly. "Then what happened?"

"I'm not sure. I just lost control. Literally!" I exclaimed, almost getting cut off as the Mach 6 swerved again, this time in the other direction. "Speed, I don't see anything wrong. I don't know what it could be." That didn't help my anxiety at all. _'At least the race is nearly over,' _I thought, trying to reassure myself. The other portal was just barely in sight, a tiny dot of blue glittering just over what seemed like a mile ahead.

I sped up to at least catch back up with my brother, even if I couldn't pass him. The lightning was getting harder to dodge, striking off a few other cars last minute. It wasn't a problem for me, but little did I know, there was a much more serious problem in the making.

I jumped as the Mach 6 jerked from side to side. My holographic communicator popped up and a panicked Connor tried to speak, but the screen fizzled and died. I felt completely helpless as my car took over with a mind of its own to say the least. It swerved again, driving off to the side of the track before slowing down gradually and pulling into last place. My foot lunged towards the gas and I pressed it to the floor, but it was now use. It had no affect on the car.

I was relieved as I nearly pulled into the portal, but my hopes were crushed as the Mach 6 turned sharply to the left, speeding up dangerously. That was when I full on panicked. I was going 270 at least, a large hooked boulder looming in my path. I slammed both feet on the brakes desperately, but it was to no avail. Even though I had a helmet on, I instinctively put my arms up to block my face.

I don't remember much beyond that. There was a loud crash, followed by a sudden weightlessness that seemed to last a minute. The world was silent for a moment, then sound rushed back. There was an explosion around me and pain shot through my head and back. I got dizzy to the point where I knew that I felt like I was going to thow up any second, before there was another explosion, followed by a few smaller ones. The world fuzzed and spun around me to the point where I was forced to squeeze my eyes shut.

I felt towards where I thought the door of the car was, and managed to open it with my last bit of strength before emerging into a stunningly silent world, the only sound reaching me was the ringing in my ears. I found myself on my hands and knees, trying heavily to breath. I couldn't tell who, but there was a flurry of people calling my name, one standing out above the rest.

"Are you alright?" I didn't know who it was, echoed and distorted beyond my recognition. I forced off my helmet and flung it aside, relieved at the thought of air on my face. I coughed and shook my head as well as I could, pain searing through my lungs. Finally, I felt my body give up on me, what I thought was the ground meeting my side before the world finally faded around me.


	5. Something Went Wrong

**Author's Note: This chapter is rated T for minor blood.**

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><p>"<strong>Something Went Wrong" – X<strong>

I soaked in the roar of the crowd as I skidded to a halt on the other side of the portal. It looked like I had finally beaten Speed, and I hate to say it now, but I loved that feeling. I closed my eyes, but only moments later, the cheers quieted down into hushed murmurs.

I jumped, reopening my eyes just in time to watch what is probably the most horrific scene I've ever seen and, hopefully, will ever see. It topped off my childhood memories by a long shot. It took a few minutes to fully process what was happening.

The Mach 6 was ejected from the portal at an awkward angle to start off. It was almost sideways, and flew through the air. I stood locked into where I stood, forgetting how to breath almost entirely. Finally, it kissed the pavement nearly upside down, bouncing and lingering in the air, spinning wildly before it finally landed, threatening to roll before bouncing back right side up. I can easily image my face in a frozen mask of horror. Finally, I gained my senses.

"Oh my god… SPEED!" I yelled, not really sure whether or not this was some sick nightmare. I started to run towards the car, but I slowed as I saw the door open. 'He's ok, he's ok, he's ok…' I repeated to myself as I saw my brother emerge from the half-pulverized silver car. His helmet appeared to be cracked, and the arms of his racing suit were stained crimson from the shattered windows and windshield. He stumbled a bit and sank to his knees.

Reenergized, I continued towards him, joined by Connor, Lucy, Headmaster Spritle and a few of the other racers. His chest was heaving and he threw his helmet off to the side weakly, his short brown hair ruffled. "Speed! Answer me, are you alright?" I asked desperately as I kneeled down slightly, cutting off the others before they could speak.

I felt myself begin to tremble as he coughed, a few drops of blood splattering onto the pavement. He shook his head before collapsing on his side. I screeched, and Headmaster Spritle was forced to hold me back as I struggled, the emergency crew rushing out. My attention flickered over to the audience and I paused in my struggling as a commotion erupted near the track. A man that had previously been restrained was struggling wildly, finally freeing himself and leaping over the divider that marked the edge of the track.

He ran over to me and Uncle Sprite's side, his teeth gritted as he looked down at Speed. "No…" he murmured, his voice a barely audible whisper. He had on a pair of slightly dirty blue jeans and a white shirt beneath a blue jacket and a red and white cap hiding most of his face unless you looked closely. I finally recognized him, honoring his previous words.

I shrugged out of my Uncle's grip and embraced him, still forcing back tears and unable to watch as my brother was tended to. Everyone surely felt just as helpless as I did; Spritle unable to watch but was locked onto the scene, Lucy nearly breaking down, Connor nearly fainting, Dad pressing my head into his chest in an effort to comfort me, and nearly the entire audience completely silent.

I gulped and pulled away from the man, whom I correctly assumed to be my father, and jumped up into the ambulance behind the stretcher, Dad following at my heels. The broad doors were closed behind us and we sat off to the side while doctors buzzed around Speed, assessing his condition and needs.

I hung my head, feeling dad's arm over my broad shoulders. I didn't protest, and even if I wanted to be left alone, I was too shocked to speak. I just wanted this day to end. I was aware that it was my fault in part as well. If only I had listened to him. I clenched my fists, plotting out the shadow committee's murder in my head. I already knew no questions asked that this had something to do with them.

Dad was looking down at me, a frown plastered across his face. "I should've done something. I figured that we got off too easily. It's not your fault, X, it's mine," I heard him say quietly, his deep voice warm as he tried to smooth my ruffled nerves. I sighed.

"No, it's not."


	6. What I've Done

"**What I've Done" – Speed**

I finally came back to my senses.

At first, I was completely out of it. I had no idea where I was, what had happened, or why I couldn't move without practically killing myself. I opened my eyes slowly to a blurry world, a bright white light above me. (I was aware that I was on my back at least.) I quickly shut them, almost blinded and let out a quiet moan. Eventually they adjusted to the light; I was in a brightly lit room. I couldn't move my head, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement.

He was slow at first, but the figure perked up and as he spoke, I finally recognized him. "Speed? Can you hear me?" It was X, all hope drained from his exhausted sounding voice. I probably sounded worst. "Barely," I murmured, trying to sit up a little so that I could at least see what was going on. He was instantly at my side, his eyes wide and his expression full of relief. "Thank god."

I gritted my teeth and grimaced as I stiffly pushed myself into a slightly more elevated position. It was then that I realized that I was in a hospital room, faint memories coming back to me. I shoved them to the back of my mind, though I knew that they would be impossible to forget about. "What happened? Are Connor or Lucy here?" I managed to get out, looking over at my brother weakly. I felt helpless, and it frustrated me. I was too incompetent to move; bandages tightly binding my arms, my entire body aching, my back stiff and sore, plus a wicked migraine and dressing plastered over my neck made sure of that.

X avoided my gaze, looking off to the side as he replied quietly. "Y-You wrecked. It was horrible… Connor and Lucy are at the academy. Headmaster let me skip, but they have to wait until after school." I frowned. At least I could see X, and he didn't want to pulverize me anymore. That reminded me of how Annalise had pushed us apart. "X, I'm not with Annalise," I started to explain. He blinked, and I couldn't tell whether he was surprised at what I had said, or how quickly I had changed the subject. He gulped. "I know. I never should've hit you. I over-reacted and I just… I was stupid..." he said quickly, trailing off a little. With a small amount of difficulty, I raised my hand and rested it on his shoulder. He gently rejected it, placing it back at my side.

"X, you should get some rest, I'll wa-, "a man was saying as he walked in, cutting himself off as he saw me. His blue eyes sparkled and he smiled. "Speed! You're awake? How do you feel? Do you need anything?" he asked eagerly, walking up and kneeling at the side of my bed. For a moment I just stared at him stupidly, a bit confused, then his identity hit me.

"Dad?" I asked quietly, blinking groggily. I knew I had to be dreaming. That, or I was dead. He gave a firm nod. "To anybody else, I'm your Uncle Albert," he responded. "On your mother's side," he added quickly, glancing at the door. X looked over at him, an eyebrow raised. "Albert? Couldn't you think of _anything_ better?" he mocked jokingly. Dad was about to reply, but was cut off as X finally yawned, having held it back for a bit. Just then I noticed how dark his eyes were, his normally well groomed hair a bit messier than usual. "You should get some rest. You don't have to worry about me anymore," I said, feeling guilty. I must've been unconscious for at least a day if not more, and my brother had probably been under added stress because of it. He sighed and walked back over to the corner, splaying himself out over the chair he had been sitting in previously.

"How are you feeling?" Dad asked, looking back at me. I tried to sit up, but he put a gentle hand on my chest, ruining my chances of going into a further upright position. I leaned back again and groaned softly. "Sore and terrible."

I could tell that dad was trying to smile, but it faltered, making me close my eyes, another wave of guilt crashing into me. Though I didn't have any strength to use, my mind was clearing by the minute. The thought of that both relieved and alarmed me at the same time. I reopened my eyes and looked off to the side at X, realizing that he was snoring softly. It made me smile to think that he was actually getting some sleep, even if he didn't have the best place to do it. That reminded me of Uncle Spritle, Connor and Lucy.

I opened my mouth to speak, but paused and listened as I thought I heard voices in the hall.

Almost as if they were called, I heard Lucy's voice, followed by Connor. They stopped in my doorway, greeting dad before they saw me awake. Lucy grinned and Connor nearly died, shouting my name and rushing over.

My pain momentarily forgotten, I tried to sit up again, but the effort made me yelp and sink back into the bed, my eyes squeezed shut. Both of my friends were alarmed, but Dad remained calm, gently cooing in an attempt to sooth me. It reminded me of something I imagined my mother doing, and the thought made me chuckle silently.

By now, there were three people crowded around me, two of which were buzzing happily. "Is Headmaster Spritle going to come?" I asked quietly, not really expecting him to be able to. The answer was better than I had expected. "He can't come until after dinner, but he wants to check in on you," Connor said, a smile still stretched across his face.

At least I wasn't causing _everyone_ grief anymore.


	7. All My Mistakes

"**All My Mistakes" – Speed Sr.**

That had to be by far the second worst day of my life.

The second I saw the Mach 6 in the air, I felt my heart come to a complete stop. The world slowed and for that minute, I couldn't breath. As soon as it hit the ground I was on my feet, trying to break free from those restraining me. They had no idea that I was Speed's father, Speed Racer. I could only stand there and watch as my own son nearly died.

The car finally settled, my knees feeling weak until I saw the car door open and caught a glimpse of my son emerging before he disappeared behind the car. Violently enough, I tore free and leapt the barrier that split the stunned audience from the track. There aren't any words to describe how I felt at that second, running out to the middle of the track where X, Spritle and Speed's two friends were standing, looking down beside the halfway destroyed car.

There he was, my son, on his hands and knees, fighting for his life. I nearly fainted, but as X sought my comfort, I tried to relax, pressing him into me as he fought the urge to cry himself. As X and I got into the rear of the ambulance, I couldn't help but know that this all traced back to me. The minute I had gotten the idea of a gasless engine brought hell down on everybody I knew and loved.

Every time I saw Speed, suffering from my mistakes, a new wave of guilt washed over me to the point of where the only thing keeping me from leaving the world for good was the fact that even if Speed wasn't going to live, X would need me.

Thankfully, his injuries weren't too serious. Besides being sore all over, he had broken his neck (Thank god it was almost fully healed by the time he woke up.) and three ribs, scratched and cut his arms, got a concussion, and was bruised up, but overall he would recover in hopefully about two or three weeks.

The doctors had thought originally that he might've been out for several days. I was extremely relieved when I walked into his room at around four o' clock the next day to find him awake and chatting with his brother, who had been given permission to miss school for a while by nearly every single one of his teachers. After another day, he was able to at least sit up on his own with only a small amount of difficulty. The only problem was that his concussion was starting to trouble him, giving him headaches. The doctors assured us that they would wear off after a few days to a week, and allowed him to take some asprin for them to ease them quicker.

It was about three days after the race, and I had a feeling that everyone knew about the wreck. I walked in with Speed's breakfast to find him already wide awake, his uncertain and troubled gaze locked on the small TV in his room. I blinked in surprise. "Hey Speed. I was just coming to wake you up," I said, making him jump. "Wha-? Oh, hey. Thanks," he said, only giving me a moment of attention before staring back up at the TV. I set his meal down on the sliding table and looked up to see what he was watching, my heart sinking as I saw the Mach 6 hovering behind the Shooting Star in the virtual track being broadcasted on the news.

It showed X being cheered on as he got out of his car victoriously. I winced and turned away as I caught a glimpse of the Mach 6 in the air, followed by a crash and a few terrified screams from the audience.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Speed's eyes still locked onto the screen and widened in horror as he saw what had actually happened. Taking a deep breath, I looked over at him, attempting to fake a smile as he looked over to me sadly. "I-I'm so sorry…"


	8. Ever Since

**"Ever Since" - X**

_I was driving; the car was weaving skillfully in and out through the cloud of other racers. I grinned. The Shooting Star is probably the best car to ever burn rubber._

_That's when I noticed that I was driving... The Mach 6?_

_That couldn't be right. The Mach 6 is Speed's car. True, it's an epic ride, but shouldn't I be driving the Shooting Star? I surged ahead and nearly pulled into first, but the glossy black bumper of my true car pulled over in front of me and blocked out any chance of me pulling ahead._

_A bit confused, I drove over the course in second. It was then that I realized where I was. My heart sunk with dread as I saw the glittering of the track portal ahead. I expected to spin out of control or something, but instead the wheel shifted beneath my hands and flung the car sideways. I was heading for the large boulder that had hooked the Mach 6 into a flip and had almost killed my brother. Frantically, I tried to steer away, the brake floored as far as it would go. The rock loomed ahead and just when I was braced for impact..._

I jolted awake. I was used to nightmares from several other occasions, but that one just shocked me from a whole new perspective. Literally.

"Don't worry. We'll find out what was wrong with the Mach 6."

That sounded like dad. Still a bit shaken, I stood and walked quickly out of the room, running my fingers through my hair as I made my way to the bathrooms to splash some cold water on my face. When I returned, my brother greeted me. "Morning, X. Are you ok?" I blinked and stared at him stupidly for a moment before responding. "Wha-? Oh." I cleared my throat. "Yeah, fine."

Neither Speed nor dad looked convinced. They exchanged a quick glance, but didn't question me further. I sat back down in the chair, jumping as Connor burst in the entrance. Speed jumped as well, but dad just stared at him. "What are you doing here? I thought Spritle wasn't letting you visit until after school. And it's 7:00 in the morning," he said sounding more curious than angry.

The nerd was bubbly and excited. Well, more so than usual. "Never mind that," he chirped. "I was up all night searching the Mach 6 for any signs of sabotage. Look what I found!" Connor held up a tiny black and red computer chip pinched in between his fingertips. My attention was jerked from it as Speed sat bolt upright. "What? What did you fi- GAAAAHH!" he exclaimed, grimacing and clutching his chest and arms as well as he could. All three of us were startled and I instantly darted over to his side, trying to calm him back down. After a moment, a stunned Connor spoke up.

"I found this attached to the back of the steering wheel," he continued proudly. "I had Chim-Chim analyze it. It can allow the owner to remotely override the Mach 6's controls. That's why it was stalling."

I looked at Speed, who stared stupidly at his mechanic. Dad took the chip from him and examined it closely. Suddenly, he snorted and gritted his teeth. "Why does the Shadow Committee put their logo on _everything_ they make or send?" he growled, narrowing his blue eyes as he passed it back to Connor. "You'd better get back to the academy before you miss any of your classes."

I rolled my eyes as Connor practically melted at even the idea of talking to his 'hero'. "Yes 'sir!" With that, he headed out of the room, but paused at the doorway. "Oh, and by the way Speed, the Mach 6 isn't too badly damaged. I few new parts and it'll be back on the track when you are!"

Speed let out a quiet sigh of relief. He had probably been worried about the gasless engine for a while now.

It couldn't be easy nearly destroying the most valuable car on the planet.


	9. Late Nights

**"Late Nights" - Speed**

Later that night, I finally got to see Headmaster Spritle.

X and I were watching TV while dad was off doing whatever it was he did when he left when we heard a few soft taps on the door frame. I instantly perked up. "I was wondering when you'd drop by!" The visitor smile half-heartedly. Though he was presentable in his usual attire, I couldn't help but notice the tired look in his eyes. "Are you ok?"

Spritle chuckled. "I thought I was going to be asking you that." X gave a small respectful nod and left the room. "I'm fine," I said as he pulled X's chair up beside the bed and sat down. That seemed to brighten him a bit, and I pressed him again. "Are _you _ok?" He nodded. "I'm fine. Just a bit too much press." I frowned.

"Seems like it. It's all over the news about 'how Speed Racer's younger son almost died'," I mumbled. It was hard to find anything else on the racing channel, and a few days ago my accident was even on the actual news.

Uncle Spritle set his hand on the edge of my bed and paused for a moment in thought. "Don't worry about it. As soon as you're back on the track, I'm sure all the hype will die back down and everything will return to as normal as it was before."

I grinned at that bit of optimism. Just then, dad walked back in with a notepad and pen in his hands. He gave a small smile and glanced up from what he was scribbling. "Evenin' Spritle." The headmaster looked up, a bit confused. He blinked once he pieced together my "Uncle Albert's" true identity. "Oh, hello!" he replied. Dad jerked his head slightly in acknowledgement, not breaking his focus away from the paper. I cocked my head slightly, wincing at the short spark of pain. It still wasn't fully healed. I massaged it for a few seconds as X returned as well with a small bag of Doritos. He stopped for a moment. "What? I was hungry," he said defensively as he leaned against the wall. I shrugged. "I didn't say anything." He rolled his eyes and munched on another chip.

When I returned my attention to Uncle Spritle, he was looking up at his brother. It confused me a bit. Was that _dread?_ I was mildly alarmed and looked at him as well. He glanced up again before doing a double take. He frowned. "What?"

X sneered. "Coming up with another plan to endanger us all?" Dad shook his head solemnly and for a split second I saw that X had hit him where it hurts. I threw my brother a glare, but he wasn't paying attention. "No. I'm trying to design a better camoflauge system for the Mach 5," he said and went back to sketching. "You might wanna ask Connor about that. Just don't press the big red button," I suggested with a chuckle, remembering how Chim-Chim and I had been turned invisible ourselves. He nodded but didn't look up.

I turned back to Spritle as he stood. "Well, I'd better get back to the academy to finish up for the night," he announced and gave X his chair back. "Call me when the doctor's say you can leave and you can stay at the house until you've recovered. I can pick you up when you're ready." I nodded and waved as he left the room.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: Wow, sorry for the lame chapter... o.O Hopefully the next one will be slightly better.<strong>


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